by: Maddie Willis
As Alpha Omicron celebrates its centennial, we reflect upon 100 years of sisterhood, friendship, service, loyalty, and most importantly zeta love.
Our nine founders formed the Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity 123 years ago at Longwood University, 24 years later, Alpha Omicron was installed in 1922 at the University of Iowa.
Earlier this year, AO ZTAs from around the country ran home once again. On the weekend of September 16th-18th, current collegiate members and ZTA alumni were able to gather together to celebrate our centennial. Generations of AOs were in attendance at our centennial celebration.
At this very special event we were able to hear from our sisters as they shared their memories of their time in AO. We looked at scrapbooks and memories from ZTA sisters over the last 100 years. We were also able to see our link in the Chain of Chapters for every ZTA chapter around the world. Alpha Omicron is the 40th link in the chain.
At centennial, we recognized sisters who have received the highest honors a ZTA sister can receive. Many of our sisters wore the honor ring and we even had the pleasure of meeting a white violet ZTA. As Zeta sisters, it is important that we recognize our sisters and their achievements.
Centennial also displayed the importance of ZTA sisterhood, because we were able to see that it truly lasts a lifetime. Women who had made friends in ZTA during their college years came to the celebration still sharing special bonds and friendships that have lasted many years.
What was most memorable to me about Centennial, was that I was in attendance as a current collegiate member. Everyone in attendance got a nametag in the shape of Iowa that had our grade on the nametag, alumni’s nametags included their graduation year.
All of us in the room had many things in common, and while we hardly knew each other at all, we were bonded by sisterhood, and we did an activity to display this bond.
Our sisters were told to stand when a sentence applied to them, as a Sophomore I didn’t think many would apply to me, but boy was I surprised when I was able to stand and look around the room and see all the women I had so many things in common with, sisterhood is truly a blessing from the heart of ZTA.
Our centennial celebration was one of my favorite memories as a ZTA, it was the moment I realized the true significance of sisterhood. I knew the girls sitting beside me at the table would be my lifelong friends, and together we would make memories that would last a lifetime.
Centennial celebrated the true significance and honor that it is to be a Zeta woman, it has been important for 100 years, and it will continue to be for many more generations to come.
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